Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as governor of New York under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations in 2021, announced on Saturday that he is entering the race for mayor of New York City.
“I am not saying this is going to be easy. It won’t be easy, but I know we can turn this city around. And I believe I can help,” Cuomo said in a video on X. “And that is why I announce my candidacy today for mayor of New York City.”
Cuomo became a Democratic darling during the throes of Covid-19, portraying himself as a steadfast leader steering his state through the dark days of the pandemic. But his national celebrity soured when a number of women came forward alleging that he had sexually harassed or behaved inappropriately with them. An investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office subsequently concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women.
Top Democrats quickly turned on him. He ultimately ceded to the pressure and decided to step down, rather than face near-certain impeachment by the state Legislature.
State investigators determined that Cuomo had groped, kissed or touched women inappropriately and made suggestive remarks about their sex lives, among other alleged behavior. The investigation was not criminal in nature and led to no charges.
Cuomo denied any wrongdoing and suggested he had misunderstood shifting cultural norms.
“In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” he said in his farewell speech. “There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate. And I should have. No excuses.”
In his video announcement Saturday, Cuomo seemed to allude to his fall from grace and said that he has changed.
“Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not. Would I do some things differently knowing what I know now? Certainly. Did I make mistakes, sometimes painfully? Definitely,” he said. “And I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it. And I hope to show you that every day.” Cuomo’s mayoral campaign marks his return to politics after more than three years of lying relatively low. Speculation about a run has swirled since 2023, and it ramped up when Mayor Eric Adams was criminally indicted on corruption charges by the Justice Department in September. As the Trump DOJ seeks to dismiss his case, Adams is seen as a vulnerable incumbent amid backlash over what critics say is a blatant quid pro quo for his cooperation with the administration’s immigration crackdown. (Adams’ attorney has denied that the mayor agreed to such a deal.) New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary is already stacked with contenders — and as the most high-profile politician to enter the race yet, Cuomo is likely already one of the front-runners. The Democrat who wins that June primary will likely be elected mayor in November.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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